WIGAN skipper Arjan de Zeeuw is hoping Manchester United are feeling the heat ahead of Sunday's Carling Cup final.

While the veteran Dutchman hopes the Latics can crown a stunning season of over-achievement by capturing their first domestic trophy - and clinching a place in Europe as a result - for United, the Millennium Stadium encounter offers a last chance to stave off a second successive barren campaign.

With United dumped out of Europe before Christmas for the first time in a decade, trailing Barclays Premiership leaders Chelsea by 12 points and eliminated from the FA Cup at Liverpool last weekend, De Zeeuw knows Sir Alex Ferguson's men are the ones who have most to lose in Cardiff this weekend.

"This isn't their last chance of silverware but if you look at the Premiership table it is clearly their best chance," said the 35-year-old.

"You could argue there is pressure on us because this game also represents our best chance of getting into Europe but most of it is on United.

"They are the ones who are expected to win a trophy every season."

Disappointments

After a career littered with cup disappointments, De Zeeuw could hardly have expected to find himself in this position when he returned from Portsmouth for his second spell at the JJB Stadium during the summer.

Yet, providing he can find a way of keeping Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy quiet, De Zeeuw could easily find himself celebrating one of the most surprising successes in recent history.

However, De Zeeuw does appreciate carrying out the task is not going to be easy.

Wigan have already had one go at quelling the threat posed by United this term and failed miserably, slumping to a 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

Rooney scored twice on that occasion and the Latics skipper accepts the youngster will again be the man who must be stopped.

"Wayne Rooney is the biggest talent in England at the moment," said De Zeeuw.

"He is very aggressive, always wants to run at you with the ball and scores goals with ease.

"He has magnificent natural talent and ability and it would certainly help us if he didn't have a good day on Sunday that's for sure.

"But big players do tend to play well on big occasions - and Wayne Rooney is definitely a big player.

"I am not going to lose any sleep over how good he is though, or how good Manchester United are. We have to look at ourselves and concentrate on the way we play and how we approach the game."